


Security

by IDoNotBiteMyThumbAtYou



Category: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, PRU doesn’t exist, married, my god what is happening to me so much fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-20
Updated: 2018-06-20
Packaged: 2019-05-25 18:01:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14982581
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IDoNotBiteMyThumbAtYou/pseuds/IDoNotBiteMyThumbAtYou
Summary: An AU in which Newt and Hermann are grumpy and married in an airport.





	Security

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Avelera](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Avelera/gifts).



It was not the darkest timeline, but they didn’t know that. In fact they didn’t know that there was a darkest timeline - where Hermann would some day mess with Kaiju guts and Newton would build Jaeger (and try to end the world). This was a timeline where the kaiju war ended with the breach, and Hermann and Newt got to be big damn heroes, tell their story, and would eventually settle into cushy middle age and well paid tenure.

 

Hermann liked being in other places but he hated getting there.Unfortunately, while this lecture tour consisted of many “other places,” it was far more dominated by the “getting there” part.

 

Airport security stops for no one, not even disabled geniuses who helped save the world. And the line, and the weight of luggage, and the stress of travel often meant Hermann had to swallow his pride and use a damned wheelchair. Which he did not like. It was very difficult to maintain an air of dignity while lightly sweating through your sweater vests and being pushed in a wheelchair by your increasingly irritable (and increasingly incoherent) significant other through the twisting snail’s crawl of the security line.

It had been whirlwind tour. Roughly three months of living out of suitcases in beautiful cities that they were both too exhausted to enjoy. Interchangeable hotel rooms, obscenely expensive (but tasty) room service. Beautiful views.

 

They had given versions of the same talk so many times that they didn’t even need their notes anymore. One would think that such repetition would curb the public’s interest, however, the numbers of livestream viewers only multiplied with each presentation. Because while the science was always the same, the squabbles were not. People on the internet were starting to take bets on where in the lineup the next bickering match would take place. Bonus winnings if you could guess the subject. Hermann had convinced Newt not to rig the system by placing a bet and planning a fight in advance, saying that they were both such terrible liars that if the fight were planned, no one would believe them.

Also that he’d divorce him if he tried it.

They had one more destination on their trip - Paris, and a layover in London. Which seemed particularly unfair because they had been in London just the week before. They were working their way through security which somehow managed to be both frantic and brain numbingly slow. Newt was rambling about something or other, and Hermann had long since tuned him out - wanting to still like him after this was all over - but every so often a phrase would pop in.

“I feel like I’m hungover but without the fun before part.”

And

“OK. But why do we have to go through airport security for layovers? We were already on a plane! What, London. New York’s security measures weren’t robust enough for you???”

And

“Personally I’m insulted that they think I couldn’t make something dangerous with only 100ml”

And

“Ugh and after all this we have to like, fold ourselves into little chair envelopes.”

Many of the universities they were scheduled to lecture at had offered to pay for first class accommodations on their travel. Hermann had respectfully declined on behalf of both of them, insisting that every institution instead put the money towards the purchase a new holo-projector for their science department. A fact which Newt had held onto with the tenacity of a hyperactive terrier.

“‘Don’t be ridiculous!’ you said! ‘we can’t possibly take money from an institution of higher learning for such frivolities.’ you said.”

“I have never said ‘frivolities’ in my life” Hermann said irritably.

“You literally just said it.”

“Only to say that it’s not something I would say!”

“It sounds like something you would say…”

“No it does not! Because I wouldn’t!”

“Wouldn’t you?”

“No! I - I refuse to rise to this blatant baiting.”

“No time for such frivolities?”

Hermann twisted in the chair to glare up at him. “Might I remind you that I have a great deal more folding to do to fit into those chairs. You don’t hear me complaining.”

“That’s because it’s your fault you have to sit there.”

Hermann huffed and turned back to face forward. He stayed that way, grumpy and silent until they reached their gate - where he gratefully abandoned the wheelchair in favor of his cane, and found a seat with Newt

Newt was still chattering.

Hermann was still tuning him out.

Just as he was starting to get comfortable, and Newt had put on sunglasses and leaned his head back to snooze (open mouthed, drooling, fast asleep. Hermann was both disgusted and jealous), Hermann’s attention was drawn by a family - a little girl with her mothers. They were looking at them and whispering.

“You should ask them.” he heard one of the women say.

No! Thought Hermann, No you shouldn’t!

The little girl squared her shoulders with determination and walked towards them. Hermann internally groaned. 

When they were recognized (and they often were) it was usually only at times like this. When they had been on a plane for hours, when his skin was somehow both sticky with sweat, and uncomfortably dry, when his eyes hadn’t hurt so bad since the drift. When Hermann was absolutely, positively, in no state to be gracious, patient, or kind.

Children were the worst. Adults he could brush off without even the slightest pangs of guilt. However with children, he wanted to be encouraging and friendly, but simply lacked the reserves to do so.

“Are you those scientists?” She asked.  
Newt jolted upright and gazed blearily at the personal-space-intruder. She watched him owlishly as he wiped drool off his chin. 

“That’s not a very specific question,” Hermann said, as Newt gathered his bearings, “but probably yes.”

“M’colleague here is right,” Newt said, propping his elbows on his knees, putting himself on eye level with the girl. “You’re going to have to be more specific.”

“Are you the guys who helped end the war?”

“Oh those guys! Yeah! We’re definitely those guys.”

“Oh!” She turned back to her mothers and nodded an affirmative, then turned back to Newt, “I knew it.” She said conspiratorially.

Newt snapped his fingers in mock disappointment, “curses! Our disguises were no good against you”!

The girl had turned to stare at Hermann “Is he ok?”

“He can’t... talk, actually. He was cursed and now every time he flies on an airplane he loses the ability to speak for a day.” Newt shrugged as though this were as common an inconvenience as a sore throat.

“Really?” She seemed skeptical.

“Really! It made this tour a bi - uh - really tough to plan.”  
The girl smiled and looked back at her parents again.

“Well!” Newt said, “I don’t wanna keep you…”

The girl’s face fell.

“Unless… your moms want to come say hi?”

Not needing any more invitation, the girl bounded across the waiting area, leaping over luggage and zipping around extended legs. In moments she was back - mothers in tow.

The women introduced themselves. The first woman was a high school biology teacher and had been teaching an entire unit based on Newt’s discoveries. Newt had been given prizes and write ups and honorary degrees (as though he needed more) but this was the first time Hermann had seen him flattered to the point of incoherence.

“Oh. Oh my gosh. That’s. Wow. Really? How are they doing?”

The second woman turned specifically to Hermann, “She’s a big fan of yours” she said, placing a hand on top of the little girl’s head.

Surprised, all he could manage was a smile and a sputtered, “Thank you.”

“She wants to be a scientist too.” the biology teacher said, “I think she thinks it’s just climbing on ladders and writing numbers on chalkboards - thanks to you.”

Hermann opened his mouth but didn’t know what else to say.

“Well.” Newt interjected, “You better study hard! Math isn’t easy.”

Hermann nodded in emphatic agreement.  
The girl nodded with equal gravity as though Newt had imparted some obscure mountaintop wisdom that no one had ever heard before. Pleasantries were exchanged. Hermann was required to say very little, thanks to Newt. Handshakes were exchanged all around, and the little family said their goodbyes.

 

“That was very kind of you.” Hermann said a few minutes later. 

Newt had already put his sunglasses back on and resumed his nap pose, “I always have time for kids.” he yawned, “and the gays.”

“As you are both.” Hermann said dryly.

The joke earned him an exhausted double finger guns.

Hermann was amazed afresh that this man had pushed him in a wheelchair across what felt like all the airports in Europe, and still managed to stay upbeat and friendly. The relentless energy might be grating at times but for moments of kindness like this, Hermann knew it was worth it. It was a reminder - not that Hermann really needed it - that Newton Geiszler was a good man. And Hermann was a very lucky one.

He took Newt’s hand in a rare public display of affection.

“Next time,” he said, “we insist on first class.”

**Author's Note:**

> Avelera had a rough day of travel and wanted some fluff.


End file.
